Longstaff Longshot seals win

Scott Kellacher made two changes from last week with Bavidge and Mckay dropping to the bench and Chanka Zimba and Luis Longstaff coming in from the start. Queens had a sparse bench with only the five subs. It was a second airing for the new away strip and the visitors didn't have to wait long for the pink strip to open the scoring through Chanka Zimba in the 9th minute with a deft back heel flick. Thereafter it was Queens keeper Ross Stewart doing his utmost to stem the flow in a first half dominated by the Caley Jags, but with only one goal and five bookings, would we pay the penalty for not scoring more and picking up yellow cards instead? These two teams had started the day on ten points apiece and just in behind current table toppers Stenhousemuir. By half time, Inverness found themselves at the top. It took a 94th minute long range strike from Luis Longstaff to secure the points after keeper Stewart had come up for a corner only to find himself stranded as we scored on the break forward. Alas Stenhousemuir scored another couple to regain top spot.

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Inverness were looking to come out of the blocks quick and the almost took the lead in the fourth minute after Liam Sole found Alfie Stewart outside the box. His well struck shot smacked the bar for what could have been a sensational start to the game. As it was we only had to wait another five minutes when Stewart fed Chanka Zimba for the big striker to flick into the bottom corner for the start we wanted. Keeper Ross Stewart had to look lively to keep out a Wotherspoon header from an acute angle off a Sole corner. All the early chances going the way of the visitors and the keeper denied Alfie Stewart as he cracked another one goalwards from outside the box, the keeper palming the effort to safety. Zimba was blocked as he tried to get another shot away. Looks like the shoot on site policy was working so far with Ross Stewart denying Alfie Stewart, Calum MacLeod and Zimba on the rebound. It's fair to say Ross Stewart has been the busier keeper in that first half with half a dozen saves and also tipped a Spoony effort over the bar. Guthrie went closest for Queens heading just over. The second busiest guy on the park was referee Chris Graham who booked four five Caley Jags players in a fifteen minute spell before the interval. That could come back to haunt us later in the game.

HALF TIME: 0-1

The second half started like the first with Alfie Stewart on a personal mission with another couple of efforts saved by the keeper with Devine and Sole also being thwarted by him. Ross Munro was eventually brought into action after nearly an hour of play as he tipped a Guthrie header onto the bar and over and at the other end a Luis Longstaff shot came off the bar and bounced off the back of the Queens keeper and then rolled onto the post before he grabbed it. (Keeper Stewart should buy a couple of lottery tickets tonight) Sole was denied by Stewart again. However, with Queens still within touching distance, they came out of their shell a bit and Liam Smith was blocked before Jack Hannah shot high and wide from distance. Stewart denied Alfie for about the fiftieth time with twenty minutes remaining, but there were signs that Queens fancied taking something from the game despite the stats being loaded in our favour. (15 on target to 0). Another Guthrie header cannoned off the bar after a Kai Kennedy free kick with Munro saving from Jack Stott on the line off the rebound. With five minutes left substitute Billy Mckay shot just wide of the post. In a dramatic ending and with MotM keeper Ross Stewart up for an injury time corner, Luis Longstaff sealed the points from ten yards inside his own half on the break after the corner was cleared, the ball landing inside the net on the third bounce. The drive home is much more enjoyable with three points in the bag...

Stenhousemuir came back to win 3-1 and that keeps them at the top of the table a point ahead of the Caley Jags closely followed by Alloa, Accies and East Fife who come North next week.

 FULL TIME: 0-2 

Well, on this occasion, the stats don't lie. 16 shots on target for the Caley Jags. What a performance with Queens keeper Ross Stewart making 14 saves. Outstanding performance by the visitors with the inclusion of Chanka Zimba and Luis Longstaff vindicated. Queens can have no complaints about the result, but a one goal lead is never enough going into time added on. What a dramatic ending with the keeper up for a corner trying to salvage a point and Luis Longstaff scoring from half a mile away!

Date:  20/09/2025  Venue: Palmerston, Dumfries Attendance: 1114 Referee: Chris Graham 
 
Queen of the South: 0

• Manager: Peter Murphy

• Lineup:  Stewart; Hewitt, Douglas, Hannah, Charters, Johnstone, Stott (O'Donoghue 87),

• Smith, Lyon, Kennedy, Guthrie

• Subs (not used):  Green; Rogerson, McLinden, Gray

• Scorers: none

• Booked: Johnstone (51), Hewit (70)

• Sent Off: none

Inverness CT: 2

• Manager: Scott Kellacher

• Lineup:  Munro; MacLeod, Devine, Savage, MacIntyre, Sole (B Mckay 80), Wotherspoon (Allan 77),

• Chalmers, Longstaff, Stewart (MacKinnon 80), Zimba (Bavidge 71)

• Subs (not used): Ross; Millen, Strachan, Robertson, Alonge

• Scorers: Zimba (9), Longstaff (90+4)

• Booked: Savage (31), Devine (37), MacLeod (41), Chalmers (41), MacIntyre (45+2)

• Sent Off: none